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Different options for shoulder replacement

Question: I am considering having my shoulder replaced. What questions should I be asking my doctor?

Answer: The decision to replace your shoulder joint is a very serious one. The most important factor in choosing a surgeon is their experience. A study that was published out of Duke University in 2004 demonstrated that the risk of a post-operative complication was reduced by more than 50 percent when surgeons performed a high volume of shoulder replacements in a high-volume hospital, compared to surgeons and hospitals performing relatively few of these procedures. This high volume is typical of shoulder fellowship-trained surgeons.